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Initiatives

The following efforts have provided the state with millions of dollars in additional revenue by increasing the efficiency, effectiveness, and responsiveness of the California State Board of Equalization (BOE), leveling the playing field for California businesses, and helping California taxpayers avoid the frustration of taxation while paying the minimum amount of taxes under the law. They have also served to enhance the professional and career development opportunities of our team.

Property Tax Equity Initiative: An educational outreach and legislative initiative to help ensure equity and fairness in property tax assessment.

Cancer Screenings: An initiative that provides free examinations for low- to moderate-income women.

Connecting Women to Power: A yearly educational and empowerment conference to connect women and men in business to resources to stimulate and inspire success, and ultimately provide additional revenue for the state.

The Underground Economy Initiative: A legislative and law enforcement initiative that focuses on arresting business operations in the Black Market, including those manufacturing and distributing illegal, pirated, and counterfeit products including pharmaceutical, vehicle parts, and cigarettes, and using their ill-gained profits to fund criminal activities such as human trafficking, drug, and gun trafficking.

Sponsored AB 576 Initiative: As a subset of the Underground Economy Initiative, this law that takes effect in January 2014 creates a multiagency team among BOE, Franchise Tax Board (FTB), Employment Development Department (EDD), and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat criminal tax evasion related to underground economic activity. The Revenue Recovery and Collaborative Enforcement (RRACE) Team will authorize members and other participating agencies to exchange information for the purpose of investigating underground operations that are evading state taxes.

Campaign Against Poverty: (C.A.P) is an initiative to empower the elderly and economically challenged to qualify for various services including college grants, healthcare, and wealth building services. In addition, we position them to capitalize on various tax incentives, including the Earned Income Tax Credit, as a way of maximizing their refund from the state and federal government.

Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights: As one of the architects of the 1989 Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights legislation, this initiative seeks to educate and protect the rights, privacy, and property of all Californians.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance: A cooperative program with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and FTB in which certified volunteers provide free income tax preparation for low- to moderate- income, disabled, and elderly individuals which helps them receive millions in state and federal refunds.

Employment Job Fairs: Sustaining 255,000 quality public service jobs with excellent health care benefits, this initiative positions and encourage students to consider employment with the state, specifically BOE, in addition to other local entities and private companies.

Professional Development Day: A training program for BOE personnel that enhances their public relations and technical skills, preparing them for upward mobility and improved service to our taxpayers.

Career Pathway Symposium: An initiative that introduces students to career opportunities with fortune 500 companies and within federal, state, and local government.

Faith and Community Based Funding and Resource Seminar: As the administrators of the Welfare Exemption Act, this campaign empowers faith-based and non- profit organizations to increase their capacity for positive change and learn the dynamics of various tax exemptions.

Keeping Californians in their Homes: A collaboration with various nonprofit and governmententities to help Californians avoid home foreclosures.

Doing Business Just Got Easier: Over 192,000 new businesses registered with the BOE and set up shop in 2013. BOE made this process easier by including Online Registration (eReg) and online one stop registration (to register at more than one agency) to streamline the process.

Small Business Seminars: Empowering California small business owners to succeed with focused tax assistance, increased access to state, federal, local, and private resources, and information to help create jobs and stimulate our economy.

Southern California Appeals & Settlement Office Initiative: A streamlining and acceleration of the settlement and appeals processes, with a focus on the problem solving and conflict resolution that more efficiently assists taxpayers and effectively accelerates tax revenue to the state.

California Retail & Trade Business Conference: An opportunity for Retail and Trade Association and Franchise Association members to share the latest information on business development, financing, tax requirements, hiring credit programs, and various judicial and legal enactments.

Support Our Stakeholders: (S.O.S) Provides expert training and focused outreach to California Businesses on how to prepare and transmit their sales and use tax returns.

District Liaison Program: An effort to increase the communication flow between California taxpayers and their BOE officials with a focus on conflict resolution and increasing goodwill.

Medical Cannabis Licensing Initiative: Legislative effort to establish a taxing and regulatory structure for the purpose of arresting illegal sellers of cannabis, as well as licensing manufacturers, controlling distributors and dispensaries of medical marijuana, and collecting state tax revenues.

Municipal Revenue Enhancement Program Initiative: A collaboration effort with local municipalities to educate businesses, ensure that businesses are operating legally, and protect state and local tax revenue and businesses license funds.

Criminal Task Force: Comprised of local law enforcement in Southern CA, Department of Justice, Employment Development Department, FTB and BOE to carry out a collaborative pilot program call Operation TRACE focused on criminal tax evasion activities.

Non-filer Sate Refund Pilot: Every year, millions of tax refunds go unclaimed. This program is designed to help California taxpayers file for their refunds.

Telework Task Force Analysis: A work force development effort to determine the possible impacts, including management, effectiveness, and efficiency of teleworking on the BOE work force – with recommendations for best practices for investing in a skilled, motivated, and diverse workforce.

BOE Call Center: An initiativeto help all California businesses and individuals comply with the state’s complex and changing tax laws. Customer service representatives are available to help taxpayers with diverse questions about online filing, registration, return preparation, the Statewide Compliance and Outreach Program (SCOP), tax exemptions, and other BOE-related questions.